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Vozolaz
Vozolaz is a country located at the centre-south of the continent of Palkyras. Its name means "Land of Wosondo", referring to an ancient king who united the ancestral tribes of the Vozonids, its founding people. It is surrounded by Gimbarish to the deserts of the north; Siangwaan to the northeast; the matriarchal island of Ioratin to the south; the Tornarin Empire to the west; and Porashon, Sevestrana, and Aujarsax to the southeast. Once the beating heart of the greatest of humanity's empires, it is now a declining shell of its former self. Component nations In present times (2018 AT/2818 ZE), Vozolaz consists of the following countries: * Azgo (centre) ** Azroban (northeast) ** Mirukuz (northwest) ** New Irajon (southwest) ** Vozolaz Proper (southeast) * Arantar (west) * Mahandaro (west) * Josol (east) * Gornystar (northwest) * New Irajon (southwest) Other Vozonid nations include: * East Zaqo (east) * Ioratin (south) * Turodaron (south) * Porashon (south) * Ajoltar (south) * Irajon (far west) * Wannaenid Empire (far west, hated by most other Vozonid nations) Vozonised nations include: * Porashon (south, Ontemazei Porasonid majority) * Vovtarla (space, alien) * Bujan (far west) * Pevares (southwest) * Omayeran (south) History Ancient history What is now known as the land of Vozolaz was the heartland of the tan-skinned tribes that coalesced into the Kingdom of Assuwas at the end of the First Age, after Zarandim exiles introduced their technologies to one of their kings, who became Assuwas' first emperor. At the early Second Age, Assuwas prospered as an empire that stretched from the deserts bordering Redjetesh to the jungles of the southerly Paharal. It was assaulted by raids by the Ente-Ruri aliens and a war between the Anevondir extraterrestrials and the Eimares celestials. Sixteenth Age Eventually, the Assuwelli's civilisation evolved into the Gauvajut Empire during the Fifteenth Age. The Gauvajut Empire became notable for its attempts to resist its rival, the Socialist Republic of Ardesch, and the Utopianist terrorists that overran its lands. At the end of the Sixteenth Age, the Gauvajut Empire was conquered by the barbaric Zōnunja tribes from the east under their king Wosondo. After a series of disasters that killed off most of their people, the frightened Zōnunjas adopted the Gauvajuts' culture out of their fear of the Gods' wrath. Sarmelonid Era (circa 374,552-370,000 BT) After a series of declines, a warlord, Aronzo Skarojon Sarmelonizo, established the Fourth Vozonid Empire. The Sarmelonid Empire was actually a collection of dynasties, excluding the interruption of the Ozoi Republic. After defeating a Konjor invasion of their homeworld, some of those latter dynasties led the Sarmelonids to conquer the Galaxy. Their rulers included the ambitious Emperor Silojennoz, who personally led the Vozonid fleets across the stars to conquer or liberate scores of worlds under the Scarlet Gryphon's Banner. Jauparturnid Era (circa up to 10,000 BT) Thousands of years later, the Jauparturnid dynasty took over Vozolaz after it was conquered by the Vilonian Empire. Their society was characterised by an extreme dedication to perfection, selfishness, and comfort; and it culminated into the brutal reign of Emperor Zemasor and his downfall. Vozolaz's remnants battled the Ontemazei Empire during the Green Years, when the latter poisoned Jerde's atmosphere with toxins to eliminate its human population. Later times (1200 BT, 500 BT, 0 AT, 900 AT, 1412 AT) Vozolaz continued to exist, albeit in a smaller scale, until its reunification under Emperor Thandizo. After his failed attempt to exterminate Porashon and his death, it split up into five quarreling republics. During that time, Turodaron was founded by refugees from Thandizo's southwards campaign. During the Arazonid Dynasty, one of its emperors plunged the nation into chaos by ordering people to freely form death squads. This led to the secession of Arantar as a republic. Vozolaz was heavily devastated by the Tornarin Bombardment, plunged into backwardsness by the Second Kyrvotin Invasion's worldwide EMP Blast, and besieged and had its sacred mountain desecrated by the Thralondian Empire's missile barrage. Early modern times (1600 AT - 1914 AT) After a brief period of independence under the Gauvajut dynasty of Bavoltar and the Later Thokortar Dynasty, Vozolaz was conquered by the Zaqo tribe to the southeast, who ruled it as a tributary of the Thralondian Empire. It was one of the many nations ruined by the Wraithstorm of 1788, but the Wraithstorm's destruction of most Thralondian forces helped the Zaqovians to expel their former masters before a succession crisis plunged the nation into civil war. But a certain gang leader -- Thanorjoz Vaizarnizo -- seized control of the government to become Prime Minister. He ordered his supporters to purge the criminal groups that took control of the capital city of Dalatar, before establishing a more stable government that revitalised Zaqo's broken economy. The Zaqovian armed forces marched westward to Mirukuz to aid a rebellion, and helped the rebels set up their own republic. When they also reported of the Ontemazei prisoners turning against the abolitionists and eating them, the angered populace gathered their Ontemazei slaves and slaughtered them by the hundreds. Modern times (1914 AT - present/2010s AT) To the northwest, the overthrow of the Mirkuzian slave cartels led to the rise of the Trimalleans, a militant communist faction that sought to unify Vozolaz under its iron fist. After a three-day battle against the Zaqovian forces, the Trimalleans seized control of the capital of Dalatar, and renamed their country as the "Azgovian Union". To purge any suspected threats against their state's stability, the militants sent any remaining Ontemazei and non-humans to death camps. They later waged war against the neighbouring countries to "liberate" them, but it also led to the breakdown of the communist state's economy. In the 1950's, the Azgovian Union sent its forces to seize control of Honvo, competing against the Tornarin Empire and Arantar for dominance of the broken state. Their war in Honvo became so costly, that it and the government's corruption sparked another civil war that led to the Trimallean Party's downfall and destruction. Culture Vozonid culture is heavily influenced by that of the Gauvajuts. Traditional buildings tended to have slanted, colourful roofs with domed edges tipped with golden crests. Gryphons are a popular animal in Vozonid culture, as they represent power, wisdom, and honour. In fact, it is one of Vozolaz's national symbols, alongside the axe and khopesh, and obsidian-gold-emerald (which symbolise courage, honour, and creativity). As Vozolaz has the most spinel deposits in the world, one nickname of the country was "Karkilaz". Its variety of farmable spinel has become so commonplace and cheap there, that this reddish mineral is used to create blaster fire, energy shields, and (especially) dice. In ancient times, spinel was also used to create the karki currency. Religion Vozonid mythology The Vozonid national religion is a polytheistic belief that uses idols, ceremonies, and prayers to honour its many beings. Such beings are divided into several categories: Gods, celestials, wights, and ancestors. Gods are very powerful beings that represent the forces of nature; celestials are the lesser spirits of the heavens, the stars, and fire; wights are the spirits of the earth, its locations, and its plants and waters; and ancestors are revered people of ancient times. Supporting those beings are the Sixteen Dancers, goddesses who oversee the year and seasons; the Nine Sages, who have armies of stars to guard the living; and the Guardians of the Four Directions, being the star-horse, sunbird (or sunhorse), raptor, and gryphon. Many celestials appear in the form of gryphons, who protect the souls of dreamers and the weak from being attacked by demons. Those gryphon-spirits serve the god of dreams, Zomjonor. In Vozonid art, gods are depicted as having haloes around their heads, to represent their supernatural powers. Other beliefs Aside from the worshippers of the Vozonid and Gauvajut gods, Vozolaz also has populations of Zoroastrian, Atenist, Buddhist, and Hindu minorities, some of which were converts or descendants of converts. A sizeable portion of Vozolaz's people are also atheists, as they have become more distrustful of the Vozonid pantheon. Influences Vozolaz's influences include: a certain GIF of a gryphon dancing with children; Hittite, Thai, Slavic, and other Southeast Asian cultures; their mythologies; ancient Chinese dynastic and Ottoman history; Idiocracy; and the Imperium of Man.Category:Rabydosverse Category:Countries